Triton Simulation
This is a simulation of what one would expect to find on a terraformed Triton, using formulas from Math And Terraforming. Please note that not even the supercomputers at NASA can provide us with a perfect simulation. The information showed here is only an approximation. Basic data *Distance from Sun: 4500 million km *Distance from Neptune: 0.355 million km *Diameter: 3067 km *Solar Constant: 0.00218 *Mass: 0.00359 Earths *Mean density: 2.061 kg/l *Neptune's period: 164.8 Earth years *Day length: 5.877 Earth days *Rotation axial tilt: 130 degrees (40 degrees, retrograde) Important! The solar constant of 0.002 is the lowest that can support plant life. Because of this, no celestial body could be terraformed without an artificial source of light beyond Neptune (see Pluto Simulation for details). Atmosphere See Atmosphere Parameters Triton is a large satellite that holds an atmosphere. For a long period of time, it can hold an atmosphere dense enough for humans to live. *Atmosphere stability for oxygen molecules: **Earth's gravity (15 degrees C): 4.116 **Triton's gravity (15 degrees C): 33.70 **Triton's gravity (-200 degrees C): 8.55 *Atmosphere stability for water molecules: **Earth's gravity (15 degrees C): 7.320 **Triton's gravity (15 degrees C): 59.91 **Triton's gravity (-200 degrees C): 12.21 *Atmosphere stability for hydrogen molecules: **Earth's gravity (15 degrees C): 65.88 **Triton's gravity (15 degrees C): 539 **Triton's gravity (-200 degrees C): 137 notes: A value below 10 means stability for over a million years, a value between 10 and 100 means stability between 0.1 and 10 millions of years, while a value higher then 100 means stability for less then 10 thousand years. This calculation does not include solar wind erosion. Conclusion: The atmosphere of Triton will be divided in two distinct layers, separated by a greenhouse gas buffer. In the upper layer, where temperature will be low, oxygen and nitrogen are safe for a million years. Water vapors will be slowly lost in space. However, given the low temperatures, water will freeze and fall back in short time. In the lower part of the atmosphere, oxygen and water will experience conditions similar to the Moon (see Luna Simulation for details). Triton is well protected by Neptune's magnetic field. We can expect the atmosphere to still be there after a million years. The atmosphere will look like this: Ground average temperature: 15 degrees C *Surface pressure at sea level: 1 *Atmosphere total mass (Earth = 1): 1.02 *Atmosphere breathable height: 136 km *Atmosphere total height: 405 km Ground average temperature: -200 degrees C *Surface pressure at sea level: 1 *Atmosphere total mass (Earth = 1): 0.50 *Atmosphere breathable height: 70.31 km *Atmosphere total height: 209 km Combined values *Atmosphere total mass (Earth = 1): 0.83 *Atmosphere breathable height: 110 km *Atmosphere total height: 300 km. Triton will have a fluffy atmosphere, but by far, not as voluminous as the atmospheres expected to the moons of Uranus and the icy moons of Saturn (except Titan). This is because Triton has a higher gravity and because the outer layers of this atmosphere will be more compressed by the low temperatures expected. Temperature Main article: Temperature. The first problem with Triton is that we need to gain the correct surface temperature. The Solar Constant is small (0.00218), compared to Earth (1.98). We will need Greenhouse Gases. The Greenhouse Calculator shows us that Titan will need 6.58 kg/sqm of sulfur hexafluoride. Because the atmosphere will include 17 times more gas to gain a similar surface pressure like Earth's, the air will contain 0.0388% sulfur hexafluoride. Climate Simulation Main article: Climate. On Earth, the average temperature is +15 degrees C. Technicians will try, with the help of greenhouse gases, to keep this temperature. Triton has a smaller diameter then Earth (0.240), so air currents can mix temperatures faster. The atmosphere will be high enough to pass over majority of Geographic barriers. Average temperatures for each latitude: At equinox: *poles: 14.7 C *75 deg: 15.3 C *60 deg: 15.5 C *45 deg: 15.7 C *30 deg: 15.8 C *15 deg: 15.9 C *equator: 16.0 C At winter solstice: *poles: 14.4 C *75 deg: 14.6 C *60 deg: 14.8 C *45 deg: 15.0 C *30 deg: 15.4 C *15 deg: 15.6 C *equator: 15.7 C At summer solstice: *poles: 15.8 C *75 deg: 15.9 C *60 deg: 16.0 C *45 deg: 16.0 C *30 deg: 16.0 C *15 deg: 15.8 C *equator: 15.7 C Day - night cycle variation: Triton has an average-long day (5.877 Earth days), but is well protected by its greenhouse layer. So, temperature variations between day and night will not be significant. *Daily temperature variation: 0.15 degrees C *Equator day-night variations: **Equinox: 15.9 to 16.1 degrees C **Solstice: 15.6 to 15.8 degrees C *Day - night variations for 45 deg latitude: **Equinox: 15.6 to 15.8 degrees C **Winter solstice: 14.9 to 15.1 degrees C **Summer solstice: 15.9 to 16.0 degrees C Seasons: Triton has its axis tilted 40% with respect to the Sun. This will automatically create polar days and polar nights that will be very long, lasting up to 82 Earth years at the pole. However, because of the strong greenhouse effect, temperatures will change little. The maximum temperature difference on the moon will be at the poles (about 1.5 degrees C), between summer and winter. Even the equator will witness seasons, being colder at solstice then at equinox (with 0.3 degrees C). However, all these values can be considered negligible if we think about the climate of Earth. Altitude variations: Triton will have a more fluffy atmosphere. Because of this, atmosphere density will decrease slower with height. On a mountain 13 km high on Triton, it will be like on a mountain 1 km high on Earth. Unfortunately, we don't have an altitude map of Triton, to know if any parts of the moon will experience a different climate because of altitude. Conclusion. Triton will have a monoclime, with temperatures fixed around +15 degrees C. There will be little to no temperature variations on the moon. Because of this, winds will be very slow and the atmosphere will be saturated with moisture. However, Triton has one major advantage, which cannot be pointed by the mathematical model used to simulate its climate. Upper layers of the atmosphere will be exposed to low temperature and will freeze, falling down like a snow. Because Triton has a significant gravity and surrounding space is exposed to lower temperatures, this process will happen faster. As frozen gas reaches the lower parts of the atmosphere, it will heat-up and return to gaseous state, cooling the atmosphere around. See Atmosphere Cooling Effect. Unlike the small moons of Uranus, in case of Triton, this will happen faster, but there will be smaller amounts of frozen gas falling each time. This is because gravity is stronger in case of Triton then in case of Titania. This will cause the atmosphere to cool and to rain. After that, temperature will rise and the air will contain less moisture. Cooling seasons might occur at random, at maximum 200 Earth days one after another. Geography See also: Geography, Geographic Pattern - Tectonic and Geographic Pattern - Craters. We only know how 40% of Triton looks like, the rest is unknown yet. Without enough data, we cannot know which way should be the best to terraform this world. Terraformers have 4 major ways to transform an icy Outer Planet: #Increase the heat, melt the ice and transform it into an Oceanic Planet, then leave it as it is. #If possible, build Artificial Continents after melting all the ice. #Use Ground Insulation, to save the icy crust, then cover it with solid rock. # Heat the moon, until solid particles from the molten ice will form a natural insulation above the ice crust (see Iapetus Simulation). The first option, without an added source of heat, will take us a lot of time. at Uranus's distance, solar radiation is weak. The ice will melt with an average speed of 1.6 mm melt daily and 56 cm melt in an Earth year (see Adjusting Temperature for details). It will take us 1700 years to melt the ice down to 1 km. Still, if we manage to heat the moon somehow, then the ice will completely melt and we will have an oceanic world. Then, once we have an oceanic world, it is possible to build artificial continents, an option that is possible here, because the surface contains materials (organics and pre-organic compounds) which can be transformed into floating substances. The third option, that of using ground insulation, might be possible using materials that already exist on the moon. Costs are smaller then the first two options. Triton has many ingredients needed to build an insulation on its surface. The fourth option is also possible. However, some ice will continue to melt, absorbing heat. Average temperature will be lower then the desired +15 C. So, when a haze of frozen gasses fall from the upper atmosphere, on the ground temperature can fall below water freezing point. If that will happen, surface will reflect more light and temperature will continue to drop, possibly into a runaway cycle. 1. Oceanic planet: In this scenario, Triton will have a very deep, global ocean, with no natural island. Manmade floating islands can exist, still. 2. Artificial continents: In this scenario, there will be large floating islands. However, Triton is exposed to a powerful stress by its retrograde orbit. Tides and quakes could exist and could have a devastating effect on the continents. 3. Ground insulation: In this scenario, the moon will be covered with a global protective layer, that will insulate the ice for millennia. Many Geographic features will be altered (mountains excavated, craters filled), so the resulting terrains will be different. Probably, oceans will cover 50% of the surface. With this method, we can preserve many of the existing Geographical features. 4. Natural ground insulation: This option, the cheapest of all, will create erosion valleys on the surface and depressions filled with sediments. Water, being heavier then ice, will sink through holes and pores into the moon, freezing at a certain depth. Almost all Geographic features will be preserved. Ground will be covered with black soil. There will be no or almost no lakes. However, given the very low amount of heat received from the Sun, temperature will drop very fast. Conclusion: The easiest way to terraform Triton should be by using ground insulation. This will preserve many Geographic features. Triton will have mountains, plains, hills and oceans. Unfortunately, because we know only 40% of the moon how it looks like, it is impossible to estimate if Triton will have continents and oceans and how large they will be. The Sky As any Outer Planet, Triton will have a lot of moisture in its atmosphere. The blue sky will be visible after an atmospheric cooling effect. From the surface or from orbit, people will see many celestial bodies: The Sun will be too far away to be seen as a disk. It will appear as a very bright star. Still, Neptune and other two moons will be visible as disks: *Neptune - 139 units *Proteus - 1.77 units *Nereid - pale star to 0.33 units. These units show how large will be a celestial body seen (see Angular Size for details). For example, Neptune will appear 139 units wide. It will be like a circle that is 139 mm wide, seen from a distance of 1 m. Some planets will also be visible, with a Magnitude as follows: *Venus: 4.3 to 4.4 *Earth: 5.5 to 5.7 *Jupiter: 3.5 to 4.3 *Saturn: 4.6 to 6.0 Please note that values are calculating assuming that a planet is visible as a full moon and not as a crescent. Inner planets will only be seen as crescents, so their visible magnitude will always be with about one unit higher. So, Earth and will actually not be visible. On the other hand, a planet that is too close to a source of light like the Sun will actually not be visible. Because of this, only Jupiter and Saturn could be seen with the naked eye. Human Colonies *Population limit: 250 000. *Land population feeding capacity: 0.3 people fed from one square km *Largest city supported by environment: 1000 people Assuming it will have similar types of terrain Earth will have, Umbriel can support a Population Limit of 250 000 people. As one can see, Triton will be in a delicate balance. The greenhouse gas layer will try to protect the moon from cooling down, while the upper layers of the atmosphere will slowly fall down, cooling the moon. In this environment, which was not enough studied, it is not known what effects can have a human intervention. Imagine a big city like Tokyo built on Triton. Heat produced in the city will create vertical currents that will disrupt the greenhouse gas layer. Once a hole is punched, heat will escape. This will create currents that will further create holes. In the same way, a nuclear explosion can send Triton into a runaway ice age. Industry Triton will have very strict environmental laws, so that large industrial corporations will avoid building here. Instead, because of the low gravity, we might see people working in outer space and returning back home daily. Agriculture With very little illumination, it will be very hard for plants (see Plants on new worlds for details). Neptune lies at the outer limit where plants can survive. Probably, people will grow plants with the help of artificial light. Transportation It appears that, despite its retrograde orbit, Triton is not affected by extreme volcanism like Io. So, on its surface, roads and railways can exist. Air transportation will also be largely used. Because we have no complete altitude map, we don't know if there will be a single or many continents, a single or many oceans or if there will be a complex network of dry and wet land. Since Triton is tidal locked, there is no place for geosynchronous satellites. Orbits lack stability. Still, telecommunications can be made possible with satellites that will permanently change orbit. Another, more safely method, will be to use satellites that will instead orbit Neptune. There will be constructed at least one base on the surface, for space travel. Large interplanetary ships, carrying passengers and cargo to and from Neptune, will dock at Halimede. Then, smaller ships will ferry between the little moon Halimede and Triton. Tourism Triton will be some sort of end of the world. Beyond it, there are also other celestial bodies that can support an atmosphere (like Pluto and Eris). However, at their distance, it is unclear if plants will be able to survive. So, terraforming ends at Triton. Many tourists will come to see the end of the world, the furthest terraformed celestial body, with their own eyes. A great advantage is that Triton will have its atmosphere cleaned of clouds and hazes by periodic atmospheric cooling processes. Because of this, tourists will be happy to walk around and explore the land. Wild Life The biggest problem of all is what kind of plants and animals will survive on Triton. I made experiments with plants kept in boxes, with light entering through limited holes. It proved that they survived at a luminosity similar to Triton's orbit, but I don't know if they can produce food for settlers. My experiment was done on grass and grain. It is questionable if a forest can grow on Triton. Animals will consume plants faster then they can regenerate. Also, if a plant (for example a tree) will have its leaves removed, it will hardly manage to grow others. Any plant will need all its leaves only to survive. Because of this, animals must be carefully introduced. Triton might be a place only for plants and bacteria. Category:Simulation Category:Math